http://www.cooganresearchgroup.com/crg/index.htm

22 October 2011

COOGAN story 

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appearing in "Syracuse Herald-Journal" (04 DEC 1973, Page 4):

FOUND IN ATTIC:  FAMILY BIBLE RETURNED
By Richard G. Case

[photo]

caption: William Kosoff, left, Richard Wright, Jackie Coley and
Anthony Langan examine Coogan family Bible in Everson Museum
historical gallery.

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A family Bible, which strayed from the Syracuse family that kept it
during the 1800's, has been returned by a building contractor who
found it in the attic of a house on the city's East Side.

The Bible recorded the births, marriages and deaths of the Timothy
Coogan family.  His great-grandson is the actor, Jackie Coogan.

Contractor William Kosoff discovered the Bible while cleaning out
the attic of a house he is remodeling at 204 Columbus Ave.

Neither Kosoff nor the Coogan descendants can explain how it got there.
Timothy lived on Wayne Street.

"But of course we're pleased to get it," explained Mrs. Jackie Coley,
of Syracuse, Timothy Coogan's great-granddaughter.

Kosoff returned the Bible to Mrs. Coley and her brother, attorney
Anthony Langan, last week after allowing the Onondaga Historical
Association to photocopy its vital statistics.

Entries in the book date to 1851 with the birth of the first of
Coogan's 12 children.  The most recent was a death in the family in
1883.

Coogan worked as a railroad flag, switch and gateman in Syracuse.

A son, James, was the well known New York Central station master here
for many years.  Another son, John, ran a drug store in the Bastable 
Block.  John was Jackie Coogan's grandfather.

Mrs. Coley explained that she was named Jackie after her first cousin,
the actor, "because they were hoping for a boy."  She and her brother
are maternal descendants of Timothy.

Richard Wright, president of the historical association, brought
together Kosoff, the Bible and the Coogan relatives after the
contractor told him of the discovery.

The O.H.A. staff researched the family and made copies of the entries
for its files.

Wright praised Kosoff's actions as "a great service to the community."

He said it is "of great importance that people be aware of the value
of historical materials like this."

Bibles often were purchased as both religious documents and record
keepers.  Blank pages for recording births, marriages and deaths
usually are found between Old and New Testaments.

"If people are aware of this, and bring materials to our attention,
we can make copies and file them for any member of the family or a
researcher to use," Wright explained.

The cover of the Bible was impressed with the names of Coogan and his
wife, Mary, in gold.

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